Electric switch mechanism.



R. w. ARMSTRONG.

ELECTRIC SWITUH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 0017.26, 1907.

Patented Nov. 14. 1911.

4 ganization embodying -t mg; the present invention.

UNITEDSTAtIE-S E BT C m en wnanmsraoue, {or -&qnK;,-a. igfassreuon'ro, Bit-N mast com- Pans-transmits, A, conrona'rzon oF NEW YORK snacmmswmcn liciiiclimxsiuf York, and State of New York, have-invented certain "new and useful Improvements in Electric Switch Mechanisnn'fully described and represented in the following s i'ecifi'cationand "the accompanying draw-f ings, formingia part of thesame.

for-ieontrolling, througlr'a plurality of keys, a "number-of electrical circuits.

:Ast'a 5 full understandmglof hado'from a=detailed description of'-an' ;or-"

he same, such descnipbi'on will now he, giv eir inconnection with 11-. athei accompanying drawings, "in 'WhiGh-P-ij iF-imurel is a front view-of a sfwitch=board providedwith switchmechahism' ieinbody :Fig. 2- 1s a' vertlCfiilfEBChiOH of the same "Fig. 3'is a plan -'.aview of the switch mechanism partly- 1n sectiom; Fig. 4; is 'a section on the line 430i Fig. Fig. 5 isasectionon theflline' 5 of Inglis,-

- of lthe :parts in a different position so "as to illustrate the operation of the switch lllticlltl nism,=inclosingeircuits. y '5 Beierrin tosaid drawings, 1 represents the switch-. card or face plate eta switch-- hoard, in which, as shown, in the. other figures' of the drawing, are mounted the several parts of the switch mechanism-embody ing the present. im'ention. Secured to this plate 1, h means of plates 2'.-ancl screws 3 passing t iercthrough, is a series of inwardly projecting arms or brackets 4, each carrying at its inner end two sets of super- )osed spring contact plates, .one set comprising four plates 5, 6, 7 S, and the other four contact plates 9, 10, 11, 12. These plates are insulated from each other and from the'arm or'bracket 4 by strips 13 of insulat ing. material alternating with said plates and interposed between them and thearrn.

flllhis' invention relates' mprovements "llL'nSWltCll mechanisms for ele'ctrlc' (flights? and' particularly to mechanisms designed the improiie mnts of the present invention: can best be Fig. 6 is a similar View with some stanch on i5: l let tersrateiit. [P t nt [11 Nov. 14,1911.

contact plates 5, 6,17 8 a d9, 10, 1 1,-12eon'- .trols two cirquitg im example, contact plates 5, 16'(ibnstitufq tli e terminals of one ci'reuit ,contaet 'plates 7, El those of a second circuit, contact plates' 9 1'0 the terminals of a third'eircuit, andeont act's .11, 12- the termin als of a; fourtlrcireu Lt: and these several y't-he position in springplates normallyo Sou 2, that is which they are illustrat ad, in Fig tosay, with their free :ndsout of contact with each other and the .r circuits, there-fore open. The closing of t iese circuits is" c'ontrolled by a series of keys 16 pivotallymounted in the downw: rd extensions 17 of tl e'arms or brackets 4, through which the screws "3 pass," asjbest shown in Figs. 5

and 6;ones1ichkey )eing provided for each. two sets of contact plates 5 etc. ,and 9 etc. .At its inner-end each of these keys is provided with a pair of-rollers "1810f in- -sulating"material mounted on apin 19 in the-inner end of the ley steih, these two rollers being, separated 1 mm each other by a fhub 20 on such inner'em t'of thekey. In the position in which the ke yis shown in Fig. 2, which 15 it's normal posi ion, the several contact plates of the two s ats of Contact plates controlled by it are out of'eng'agement with eaehothe'r. andth'eir eir :uits therefore open.

When the outer end of he key is depressed, however, thel'inner end hereof will, through its'rollers-ls engaging the ends of theplates 8, 12j'raise the la'tter t( the position shown in'Fig; 5, and, in so'rai :ing them, will force then intocon'tact with the contact plates 7, I 1",-resp'ectively, thus closing the circuits of which these plates constitute the terminals.- acme sametilne'the Jlates 8, 12 will, by reason" of ithB: interpo: ition between them and the plates-t3, 10,1:spectively, of plugs 21 of insulating materi Ll, raise the plates 6, 10 into engagement wi h the contact plates 5, 9, respectively, thus closing the circuits of which the plates 5, t and 9, 10 constitute the terminals. U 0n the depression of the inner end of the my 1 6,'these several contact plates will resume the positions in which the plates are sl own in Fig. 2.

For the purpose of retaining the several lates in their contacting position upon the 3 nession of the outer end of the key 16 controlling them, then is provided a wing pivotally mounted n brackets 23, 24 seeu'redfto the inner far a of the plate 1 and comprising upwardly projecting pins 25 engaged and moved from (one for each key) normally resting against a shoulder 26 111a cam shaped disk 27 formed uponthe key, and when the handle of the ke is depressed it engages a notch 28 in said isk 27 and thus locks the key in such depressed position. .The shaft of said wing 22 has coiled about it at oneend a spring 29, one end of. which is secured to said shaft or to one of the ins 25 thereon, and the other end of which is secured to the bracket 23, this spring normally tending to rock ".e wing and the pins 25 thereof inwarmly toward -the face plate, or, in other words, the locking position in wlnch one of the pins is shown in Fig. 5. As before stated, there is one such pin for each key 16, and, as a result of this construction, upon the depression of the handle of any key l6,the disk 27 thereof, engaging'the pin 25 for that key, will rock the wing and all the pins 25 thereof rearwardly, thus releasing all of the previously depressed keys 10, which are then restoredto their normal position, (shown in Fig. 2) by the resiliency of the spring contact plates 5 etc. and 9 etc. bearing against the inner or roller ends of said keys. lVhat I claim' is 1. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a plurality of independent sets of contacts, a pivolally mounted circuit closing key for each set, and a spring pressed wing common to all the keys and adapted to engage and lock each key. operated in the position to which it is moved and to be in turn locking position erated to release a previously by each key 0 mm the wmg, substantially as operated key described.

2. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a plurality of incleywmlent sets of contacts, a pivotally mounted circuit closing key for each set, a spring-pressed wing common to all the keys for locking each key operatcd in the position to which it is moved, means on the. key for so looking iLto the wing-and means on the key for engaging and moving it from locking position, when the key is operated, to release a previously operated key from the wing, substantially as described.

3. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a plurality of indepcmhmt sets of contacts, a pivotally' mounted circuit. closing key for each set, a spring-pressed wing common to all the keys for lockin each key operated in the position to whic w, it is moved, a notch or the like on the key for so locking it to' the wing and a cam on thekey for engaging and moving it from locking position, when the key is pperated, to release a previously operated key from the wing, substantially as described.

4. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a plurality of independent sets of superposed spring contact plates, a pivotally mounted circuit closing key for each set, and a spring-pressed wing common to all the keys and adapted to engage andloek each key operated in the position to which it is moved and to be in turn engaged and moved from locking'position by each key operated to release a previously operated key from the wing, substantially .as described.

5. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a plurality of independent sets of superposed spring contact plates, a pivotally mounted circuit closing key for each set, a spring-pressed wing common to all the keys for locking each key operated in the position to which it is moved, mcaiison the key for so looking it to the wing andmeans on the key for engaging and moving it from locking position, when the key is operated, to release a previously operated key from the wing, substantially as described.

6. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a plurality of independent sets of superposed spring contact plates, a pivotally mounted circuit closing key for each set, a spring-pressed win" common to all 1 the keys for locking each key operated in the position to which it is moved, a notch or the like on the key for so looking it to the wing and a cam on the key for engaging and moving it from locking position, when the key is operated, to release a previously operated key as described.

In testimony whereof, :I have hereunto set: my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

A Lll l \V. hltMST-RO NG.

Witnesses J. A. Graves, lnlmr N. 'llnuuu.

from the wing, substantially 

